In the Lingzhou political circle, people originally thought that the young prince, who had suffered a setback in Lingzhou, would return to the Prince’s Mansion (prince’s mansion) for the New Year celebrations and, upon returning, would have likely requested an imperial sword from the general to unleash a wave of executions in Lingzhou. However, the city remained as tranquil as ever, which left many puzzled. Could it be that the Governor really enjoys such favor and has become so powerful that the general must treat him differently, giving him a fate entirely different from that of General Zhong Hongwu, the former Huaihua General? Many fence-sitters who had been desperately trying to gain favor with the Lingzhou General’s mansion reconsidered. They felt it more prudent to visit the Li residence first to pay their respects. Additionally, the general’s chief steward, Sun Fulu, was notoriously unapproachable and had made it clear that the mansion would not be receiving visitors for the time being, so few officials went there to invite rejection.
Yet on the morning of the sixth day of the first lunar month, when Song Yan, the governor of Huangnan Prefecture, moved his entire family into the city, he did not stay at the residence of his mentor, Governor Li Degong, but instead took up residence in the General’s Mansion. This unexpected development left many scratching their heads once again.
However, when Song Yan moved into the official residence, the young prince did not make an appearance. He had gone out for drinks with Xu Beizhi on the western outskirts of the city. His carriage driver was now Han Laoshan, who was both a fellow disciple and a deputy general of Lingzhou. Besides this pair of “persimmon and orange,” there was also Pei Nanwei, who had removed her fox fur cloak and changed into plain clothes, though she kept the loose sable hat. Wang Luting and his close friend from the same village, Sun Yin, were also present, along with Wang Yunshu, who had conveniently dropped by to make himself known. These five young noblemen, aside from Sun Yin, who was unremarkable and reserved, were all dashing and eye-catching. Fortunately, the drinking spot was located in the lower part of the city, so no one recognized them.
During the drinking, Wang Yunshu and Wang Luting, both from the four Wang families of Huangnan, were well acquainted with each other and had even been among the four local bullies of Lingzhou in their youth, so their conversation was easy and natural. However, Sun Yin, who was currently serving as a humble tutor in the Zi Jin Wang family, was clearly out of place and remained silent throughout. Even when Xu Beizhi made several attempts to engage him in conversation, Sun Yin responded politely but failed to seize the thread of the conversation and expand upon it. It seemed that this person was simply not suited to stand out in a gathering like this. Naturally, Xu Fengnian compared Sun Yin to Chen Xiliang, someone of similar background, and felt somewhat disappointed. Chen Xiliang had never shown the slightest hesitation or fear, whether in front of Xu Fengnian or Xu Shao.
At this moment, Xu Fengnian urgently needed scholars and intellectuals who could be deployed immediately, like Xu Beizhi, who could be placed in any prefecture or county and would thrive on his own without requiring much oversight. Otherwise, how could Xu Fengnian, no matter how capable, manage everything? Wang Luting, who was skilled at reading people, several times subtly kicked Sun Yin under the table, but the stubborn Sun Yin still failed to catch on.
A large pot of stewed dog meat filled the air with its aroma, and more than ten jin of green ant wine had been consumed. It was time to pay the bill and leave. Wang Luting sighed inwardly. As the head of the Zi Jin Wang clan, he knew how important a first impression was. There were so many people in the world who claimed to be unrecognized talents, but in reality, most of them were simply too foolish to seize the right opportunity to recommend themselves. A man’s talent was not like a woman’s pregnancy, which was immediately obvious—no one could be blamed for failing to recognize it.
Yet the problem was that Wang Luting was certain that Sun Yin was not some pedantic bookworm, which made the situation all the more regrettable. Although Wang Luting was a rising favorite in the eyes of the young prince, he couldn’t possibly be so foolish as to tell the prince that Sun Yin was an extraordinary talent and that the prince himself had failed to recognize a fine horse when he saw one, that he was no Bo Le (the legendary horse connoisseur). If Wang Luting had acted so rashly, he wouldn’t have been able to hold onto his position as the head of the Zi Jin Wang clan. That seat was stained with the blood of many family members. Don’t be fooled by Wang Luting’s current refined and elegant demeanor; he had masterminded the temptation of bandits to attack his own clan for profit, and had even paid a hefty sum to the authorities to eliminate the bandits. He had ruthlessly killed nearly half of his own uncle’s family, leaving only a few harmless elderly, women, and children. The eighteen bandits had not a single survivor. The entire clan was still trembling in fear.
The two groups parted ways, with Wang Luting taking Sun Yin with him. Wang Yunshu rode alongside them for a while before saying with a smile, “I’ve got plenty of drinking and feasting friends in the city—I should go find some fun at the pleasure houses,” and rode off. Since Wang Luting had taken over the family, the two former close friends had gradually drifted apart.
On the other side of the road, Xu Fengnian bought a skewer of candied hawthorn and bit into it. Xu Beizhi remained silent for a long time before finally saying, “Are you really not planning to promote Sun Yin, who could potentially become the second Yao Bai Feng of Beiliang?”
Xu Fengnian, busy dealing with the hawthorn candy, mumbled, “Even if I wanted to use him, I’d still be troubled about where to place him. With his personality, no matter how knowledgeable he is, if I leave him in a local county and stop overseeing him, those seasoned officials would probably drive him to despair and death. If I have to give him a high-ranking official position, to be honest, I’m not really willing to do so because giving such a position to anyone else would be more beneficial than giving it to Sun Yin. At the very least, others would produce quicker results than him. But if I let him be taken away by Yao Bai Feng to the Imperial Academy in the capital, that’s not right either. The imperial court has the perfect environment and skilled mentors to polish this raw gem, and if Sun Yin becomes a powerful minister in the future, Beiliang will have another Zhang Julu as an enemy. I’ll regret it for the rest of my life. But keeping him confined in Beiliang forever isn’t fair either, either morally or emotionally. A scholar praised by Yao Bai Feng as capable of passing all three imperial exams with top honors ends up being wasted in my hands—it sounds bad.”
Xu Beizhi smiled, “You think Sun Yin is a bone that’s not worth chewing—neither satisfying nor worth throwing away?”
Xu Fengnian nodded.
To his surprise, Xu Beizhi shook his head. “Not necessarily.”
Xu Fengnian handed half a skewer of candied hawthorn to the quiet Pei Nanwei. Unexpectedly, she calmly took it and bit into a piece, putting it in her mouth. Xu Fengnian wasn’t in the mood for teasing at the moment and continued talking to Xu Beizhi, “Since I can’t handle this myself, why don’t you test Sun Yin for me? I really don’t have time for this anymore. I’m about to leave Lingzhou and attend the border military exercises with Xu Shao.”
Xu Beizhi firmly said, “If he’s given to me, even if I become the governor of Lingzhou, don’t expect Sun Yin to ever open his heart to you. Any scholar has some pride, and Sun Yin is especially obvious in this regard.”
Xu Fengnian frowned, “Either way, it’s not a good situation. What do you want me to do?”
Xu Beizhi said softly, “There’s a very simple way. Do you want to hear it?”
Xu Fengnian rolled his eyes, “Don’t waste time.”
Xu Beizhi said indifferently, “If he can’t be used, kill him—discreetly. Let him fall into water or poison him slowly; you’re familiar with this. Wang Luting is ambitious, and this would be a good opportunity to show him the balance of kindness and authority.”
Pei Nanwei turned her head to look at this Northern Meng remnant, determined to keep her distance from him.
Just as Xu Fengnian was about to speak, he saw a group of riders galloping down the street in a reckless manner, causing chaos and panic. Fortunately, the townspeople seemed to have long become accustomed to such scenes. Women clutched their children and ran, vendors quickly picked up their goods and fled, and several men in the middle of the street dove aside with practiced ease. This only emboldened the arrogant young nobles riding through the street, who continued to whip their horses. Most of them wore furs and carried swords or knives, and there was even a young woman among them, her eyes burning with fierce energy, her demeanor no less fierce than her companions. She rode a magnificent steed, a Huanglong Biao, a breed nearly as valuable as the rare Western Han Xue Ma (blood-sweating horse). Among the riders, only her and the leader’s Bai Tu Wu had the most expensive and striking horses.
Xu Fengnian watched coldly, his expression calm. The Bai Tu Wu merely glanced sideways at Xu Fengnian and continued galloping. The two groups were about to pass each other without incident when the young woman riding the Huanglong Biao, with sharp eyes, first noticed the handsome appearance of the two young men and then caught sight of the beauty of the woman beside them as she looked up. She deftly lashed out with her whip, knocking off the woman’s sable hat. Not satisfied, she stopped her horse, turned around, and stomped heavily on the street, stopping about ten paces away. She shook her thin, flexible golden whip and looked down at the woman and the two men with ill intent.
“Strange,” she sneered, “I actually ran into such a pretty lady here. Gao Derun, come quickly! You won’t need to spend money at the brothel for a whole year after this! Take her back to the mansion, and I bet you won’t even have the strength to walk out the door to drink for a while!”
Xu Fengnian bent down to pick up the sable hat from the ground and handed it to Pei Nanwei, but she glared at him angrily. After all, Pei Nanwei had once been the Princess of Jing’an, and while she was indeed furious at the young woman’s ignorance and rudeness, she wasn’t about to stoop to her level. What truly enraged her was that Xu Fengnian, who clearly could have blocked the whip, had let her be humiliated. Seeing that she refused to take the hat, Xu Fengnian smiled and put it on his own head.
The young woman halted her horse, and the entire group quickly turned back and returned. The arrogant girl called out to Gao Derun, who, upon seeing the scene, was immediately captivated. Without saying a word, he dismounted and rushed toward Pei Nanwei, intending to throw her onto his horse and take her back to his mansion.
Xu Fengnian waved his hand, signaling Han Laoshan, who was secretly following them, not to reveal himself. Then, he took a step forward. Seemingly with a soft and gentle kick, he sent out a light blow. Gao Derun, though he looked frail with thin arms and legs that seemed to wobble in the wind, was actually one of the more skilled ruffians among the nobles of Lingzhou. He sneered and, with a flick of his foot, performed a flashy somersault, aiming to pounce on the seemingly weak opponent.
Xu Fengnian, who had been toying with him, smirked. Suddenly, he took a large step forward. Just as Gao Derun heard his companion shouting a warning to be careful, Xu Fengnian struck him in the chest with a palm, sending him flying from one side of the street to the other. He crashed heavily into the solid wall between two shops and fell to the ground, his fate uncertain.
The woman responsible for the trouble had a dark expression, her hands pulling tightly on the horsewhip, her eyes filled with malice.
The nobleman who had warned Gao Derun to be careful narrowed his eyes, stroking the mane of his horse, Bai Tu Wu. He said coldly, “Causing trouble in the street without cause, defying the law and discipline. Do you even know how to write the word ‘death’?”
Xu Fengnian tugged at the edges of his sable hat and suddenly vanished. With a single palm strike to the head of Bai Tu Wu, the horse worth three hundred taels of silver didn’t even have time to cry out before collapsing dead on the spot, its hooves bending and its body slumping to the ground. The nobleman was so startled that he quickly jumped back several meters, not even daring to test his opponent’s strength.
Xu Beizhi sighed.
At this moment, not only these half-baked young nobles, but even the mighty Yan Wenluan would likely be struck down by the young prince, who was filled with pent-up frustration and had been looking for an outlet.
Xu Fengnian took a deep breath, suppressing his surging murderous intent, and said expressionlessly, “Leave!”
The noblewoman riding the Huanglong Biao laughed bitterly, “Well, well, you actually have some skill. This is the first time I’ve heard of such a bold martial artist in Lingzhou. I’ve learned something new today!”
The nobleman, whose beloved steed had died in the street, exchanged a glance with one of his companions, who immediately rode off.
Xu Fengnian gave the woman on horseback a sharp glance and then continued walking with Xu Beizhi.
Xu Beizhi smiled and asked, “Feeling better now?”
Xu Fengnian helplessly replied, “What are you talking about?”
Xu Beizhi didn’t press further. He turned his head and saw that the arrogant young nobles had put away their swords and slowed their horses, following behind with expressions of cruel amusement, clearly eager to witness a great spectacle.
A group of brightly armored city patrol soldiers quickly arrived, led by the messenger rider, exuding an intimidating presence.
Xu Beizhi sneered. These young nobles weren’t stupid—they knew that to deal with martial artists with formidable skills, it was effective and worry-free to use the government’s blade. It saved effort and money, so why not? Xu Beizhi saw that the owner of Bai Tu Wu was now sharing a horse with his companion, clearly unsatisfied with the current situation. He gestured to someone nearby, whispering instructions, and the man rode off again. Xu Beizhi smiled faintly. It seemed they were determined to wipe them out completely, calling in more reinforcements to surround them, just in case the three of them tried to escape in desperation. This was likely a group of ruthless offspring of military families, capable of mobilizing a large number of local patrol soldiers. Perhaps the authority over the city’s defense and patrols was in the hands of one of their fathers. Lingzhou, as a retirement haven for border generals to enjoy their twilight years, was filled with many minor generals, senior lieutenants, and even more hardened soldiers. At the time, the Governor was “unable” to suppress the chaos among the local officials, partly because Governor Li himself was inactive, but more importantly, because he was one of the few purely civilian officials in Beiliang. For those local officers in Lingzhou who held real power, even if he wanted to manage and discipline them, it would require a great deal of effort and political capital.
The imbalance between civil and military power in Beiliang had existed for a long time. The influx of scholars from other regions and the internal and external struggles among them had further complicated the situation in Beiliang.
The first group of soldiers who arrived were eager, gripping their sword hilts, waiting only for the squad leader’s command. As the daughter of Colonel Dong had previously said, in Lingzhou, it was rare to encounter martial artists who dared to cause trouble, let alone in a city under tight security. The news of the Lotus Pond, guarded by a martial arts master in Huangnan Prefecture, being destroyed in an instant had spread throughout Lingzhou during the New Year visits, making all the local factions tremble with fear. This year, the silver tribute they offered to the officials had increased by several folds without prior agreement.
The squad leader sneered and drew his sword, ready to capture the three and report to Governor Zhou and “Dong Yueqi” for credit. What a lucky start to the new year!
The street was bustling with activity. Wang Luting and Sun Yin followed the crowd, witnessing the scene unfolding before them. Wang Luting could not help but feel a mix of amusement and frustration, hesitating whether to step forward and stop those arrogant fellows. Sun Yin shook his head and said, “Let’s watch for now.”
Wang Luting spoke softly, “Earlier, I told you that the Prince is not someone who enjoys trifling games. Moreover, the reason the Prince came out this time was to meet you. I feel uneasy dragging you into this trouble.”
Sun Yin pointed to his head and calmly replied, “I finished all the books I needed to read when I was fourteen. Ever since, you’ve always asked me what I’ve been up to. Now I can tell you. Since ancient times, there has been the secret art of emperors, used to govern and control ministers. However, I have written half of ‘The Treatise of Pros and Cons,’ which can be used to analyze, counteract, and ultimately balance the art of emperors. After Master Yao went to the capital, it wasn’t that I didn’t want to go to the imperial court, but rather that I couldn’t. Going there would have meant certain death—I fear death greatly. How could I not see through the Prince’s Bide one’s time and conceal one’s strength? If he could turn the four kings of Huangnan from being superficially united to completely estranged, it only proves that the Prince, as I told you that night we talked under the stars, has chosen the middle strategy to govern Lanzhou. But what I seek, even a hereditary Prince cannot provide. I would rather not sell my knowledge than sell it insincerely!”
Wang Luting sighed, “Can’t you learn to compromise?”
Sun Yin sneered, “Then how am I different from the Governor Li Gonde?”
Wang Luting quickly shut up and obediently stood aside, watching the distant commotion, fearing that this man beside him might say something treasonous again.
Beiliang was poor and harsh, perhaps because even the broken pots were few. Those without shoes have always feared nothing, and the people have been fierce and belligerent since ancient times, accustomed to armed conflicts. It was only after Xu Xiao arrived that things somewhat calmed down, but the inherent blood of combativeness never truly faded. Now, a rare sight of commoners clashing with officials emerged, and many men cheered and jeered. However, no one expected that when an ordinary-looking man stepped forward, there was not even a drizzle, let alone thunder. The unruly daughter of the Dong family, Dong Zhen, seemed possessed by a ghost, hastily dismounting and walking toward the man. From a distance, no one could hear what was said, but they saw the man’s cold expression. Surprisingly, Dong Zhen, the daughter of a cavalry officer, did not become angry but remained uneasy. Unaware of the situation, Dong Zhen’s friends were terrified, tumbling off their horses and treading carefully. The squad leader quickly sheathed his sword and, with his soldiers, knelt down in a large group. Dong Zhen, the second most powerful officer in Lanzhou, recognized the man as Han, the vice-commander of Lanzhou. During Han’s inspection of the military camp last year, Dong Zhen happened to be nearby, watching from afar. She felt that this man’s aura was overwhelming, far surpassing even her father, who she believed could only serve as a mere backdrop. Later, she heard her father speak cautiously about Han, who had come to Lanzhou with the Prince. The Prince, who had never appeared outside the general’s mansion, needed no attention, as long as he was not confronted head-on, he would eventually leave Lanzhou with his tail between his legs. But Han was a different matter; not only was he the junior brother of the spear immortal Wang Xiu, possessing unparalleled martial arts skills, but he was also the general’s personal retainer, destined to serve in Lanzhou for a long time. There was already a saying in Lanzhou official circles: “Better to offend the Governor than Han, the vice-commander.” How dare Dong Zhen show off before such an invincible legendary man? Yet in her view, since she had caused such a commotion, the right was on her side. Besides, she did not think Han would quarrel with her, a junior woman.
However, when Dong Zhen saw the young man in the mink hat approach Han and whisper something, and Han could only nod, she was instantly terrified.
In the vast city of Lanzhou, who could treat Han Laoshan like this? No need to guess his identity. Dong Zhen was the first to realize, kneeling heavily on both knees. The rest of the young nobles, seeing this, were also scared out of their wits, falling to their knees one after another, too frightened to even breathe.
Han Laoshan’s tone was harsh, “All of you kneel. Send someone to have the highest-ranking official in your families come to fetch you. You have five incense sticks’ time. If no one comes, Han will personally cut off your heads!”
Dong Zhen was on the verge of tears. They had to kneel obediently, but who would go to call for help?
The young man in the mink hat smiled softly, “Let these diligent military officers deliver the message. Gentlemen, hurry up, ride their fine horses. Such opportunities are rare. One horse is worth more than all your possessions combined. If any of these people die, your skin will be blamed and stripped off, not just your armor, but even your flesh will be thinner.”
The squad leader bravely stood up, and with his lead, his soldiers hesitantly rose. Xu Fengnian said to the squad leader, “I counted; there’s exactly one more of you. You stay, the rest go to report. Oh, and tell their elders, those who have served as military officers must come in armor.”
Dong Zhen wished she were dead. She lowered her head, her eyes filled with fear and hatred. It had already been nearly half an incense stick. Far away, the increasingly crowded street only saw the young man in the mink hat, who should have a great reputation, removing the squad leader’s sword and quietly squatting down, resting the sword on his knees.
This disappointed the onlookers greatly. In recent years, they had seen and heard enough of the four evil youths of Lanzhou. According to common sense, the crows of the world are all the same. The noble youths who won by comparing their backing and family status should ruthlessly punish those pitiful losers, right? Otherwise, how could they be considered true Lanzhou nobles? Wang Luting curiously asked, “What’s going on? Is this to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys, making the families of these people in Lanzhou submit? But judging from the current situation, it doesn’t seem like he’s really going to kill anyone. If he really waits until those officials arrive to kill them, then he can only make them submit outwardly, not inwardly.”
Sun Yin slowly said, “The lower strategy is to kill indiscriminately, killing nobles and officials, establishing authority in the eyes of the people of Lanzhou. In the end, it would provoke even more unity among the military officers, civil officials, and clerks of Lanzhou. The current urgent problem would be like burning off one’s eyebrows. The middle strategy is to kill no one, treating it as a favor to these families, at least making them behave a bit better in the future, temporarily maintaining peace between both sides. However, for the overall situation of Lanzhou, it would still be ineffective, and the border soldiers of You and Liang provinces would still look down on the Prince. As for the upper strategy, given the current situation, there is almost no upper strategy.”
Wang Luting smiled, “Almost?”
Sun Yin calmly replied, “There is one, but I don’t think the Prince can do it.”
Wang Luting pressed, “Tell me about it.”
Sun Yin rarely smiled, “If it ends in a muddled way, then you invite me for a good drink. When I’m drunk, I’ll tell you. After all, in Beiliang, my whole life is destined to be neither high nor low. Since I can’t live happily, I can only drink happily.”
Four incense sticks later, one after another, fine horses galloped over. Fortunately, most of them were military men, skilled in horse riding. Only one civil official, who had never been to the battlefield, had the wit to let his retainer ride, sharing the horse with him. He disregarded his dignity and tightly hugged his retainer’s waist, looking very awkward.
The cavalry officer Dong Hongqiu, who was the farthest away, arrived together with the civil official. The four military officers who arrived first included one officer in charge of military affairs in Lanzhou, one deputy general, and two powerful captains, all kneeling with their sons and grandsons. The noble youth who had fainted after hitting his head was also dragged here.
Zhou, the official in charge of the province’s documents, also hurriedly arrived, his figure surprisingly faster than Dong Yuqi. He knelt down neatly and cried, “Your humble servant Zhou Jianshu greets the Prince! My unworthy son disturbed the Prince. I deserve death!”
It is worth knowing that this official Zhou Jianshu was one of the few people who had entered the general’s mansion that day and received the Prince’s subtle hint of permission. He did not talk about promotions or wealth, but at least no matter how turbulent Lanzhou became, he could firmly keep his position as the third-ranking civil official in Lanzhou. The young master Zhou, who rode the white-hoofed black horse, was precisely his unworthy son.
Even our Zhou, who relied on the mighty mountain of Yan Wenluan, the commanding officer, had obediently knelt down. Those officers in charge of military affairs and generals felt a bit more comfortable in their hearts.
Only Dong Yuqi stood with his fists clasped and solemnly said, “Your humble servant Dong Hongqiu greets the Prince.”
He stood, but the Prince was still squatting.
Zhou Jianshu’s eyes caught this scene from the corner of his eye, and he lowered his head even more, but his mouth subtly curved upward.
The entire officialdom of Lanzhou knew that Dong Hongqiu was General Zhong’s trusted and beloved officer. Moreover, Dong Hongqiu, who had joined the army in his youth, was also a meritorious officer who had experienced the Spring and Autumn War. Otherwise, he would not have become the prestigious and powerful cavalry officer of Lanzhou. Such a coveted position was eyed by countless officers who had retired from the border. Without real skills, one might be lucky to hold the position but would eventually be kicked out.
Frankly speaking, even the common people who disapproved of the antics of Dong Zhen, Zhou Jianshu, and their ilk secretly felt that Dong Yuqi’s refusal to kneel before the Prince, who had no achievements, was justified.
The Prince held his Beiliang saber and slowly stood up. Dong Hongqiu did not anticipate his furious anger, nor did he show any sign of forcing him to kneel using his status as the Prince of Beiliang or the General of Lanzhou.
Han Laoshan, who stood respectfully behind the Prince, was about to step forward but was stopped by Xu Fengnian with a wave of his hand.
Xu Fengnian leaned on his saber, his hands gently resting on the hilt, smiling, “Gentlemen, rest assured, I have not suffered much. It’s not that your sons and grandsons don’t want to cause trouble, but they simply lack the ability. Whether they are good-for-nothing failures or parasites who only know how to enjoy the fruits of your labor, it has little to do with me. I have been unreasonable in Beiliang for nearly twenty years, indeed doing many things without reason, just like your descendants. However, today, taking this opportunity, I would like to share a small principle that I happen to understand.”
Dong Yuqi sneered, “Oh? Since the Prince has the leisure, I would like to hear it in detail!”
Xu Fengnian smiled, “Actually, there’s no need for me to explain much. Come, except for the Governor, help the rest of these officials remove their armor.”
The kneeling military officers all raised their heads abruptly, and after astonishment, they could not hide their anger. The fifty-year-old officer in charge of military affairs stood up, his face dark. He had fought for the Xu family to achieve today’s glory, and all his wealth was rightfully earned. Although his grandson might have been guilty of disrespect, he had not harmed you at all. Even if you rely on being the eldest son of the general and the Prince of Beiliang, my grandson was born to lose to you, the young man who can immediately become the General of Lanzhou when he wants to. If Xu Fengnian wants to beat him, I accept it. But to humiliate me? No way! I have lived this long, and I really don’t believe you dare to kill all the people on the street! If you do, then consider me blind for serving the Xu family back then!
The deputy general and the two captains exchanged glances and then gritted their teeth and stood up.
The crowd watching from a distance, who could only vaguely see the general situation, began to cheer loudly. Some shouted that the men of Lanzhou were truly admirable, while others whispered that these officials might not be great, but their temperaments suited their tastes.
Pei Nanwei looked at that back figure.
Unreasonably recalling the thrilling scene she witnessed years ago outside the reed marsh in Xiangfan City.
She, who should have been gloating, felt a bit listless.
Xu Fengnian did not draw his saber, merely slightly tilting his head.
Han Laoshan, already brimming with killing intent, darted out and kicked Dong Yuqi’s sturdy body forward, then struck him in the back with his elbow, sending Dong Hongqiu’s 170-180 catties of robust frame crashing onto the street, raising a cloud of dust.
Dong Yuqi, who could not even be commanded by the Governor of Lanzhou in ordinary times, was now lying on the ground, desperately struggling to rise. Han Laoshan, deliberately restraining his strength, stepped on his back again, turning him into a lifeless, dusty dog.
This sight terrified all the onlookers.
Governor Zhou Jianshu’s throat moved, and he swallowed hard.
Dong Zhen, Zhou Jianshu, and their group were all stunned into pallor.
Even the aging military officer of Lanzhou, who had long forgotten the sound of battlefield horns and the sight of battlefield smoke, began to tremble with fear.
Xu Fengnian lifted his Beiliang saber and pointed it at the squad leader whose legs were trembling, “Go, strip Dong off his upper clothes. One after another.”
Xu Fengnian added sinisterly, “I rarely reason, don’t take your blessings for granted.”
Dong Yuqi let out a tragic roar, not hindered by Han Laoshan, staggering to his feet, “I, Dong Hongqiu, the cavalry officer, will remove my armor myself today! From now on, I am no longer a soldier of Beiliang!”
The military officer, with bloodshot eyes and a hoarse voice, laughed bitterly, “Go to hell, serving as an official in Lanzhou, Huang Zhong will also remove his armor himself!”
Thus, aside from the civil official Zhou Jianshu, everyone had stripped off their upper garments even in the bitter cold—it was both ridiculous and tragic. Back then, they had fought valiantly in armor for General Xu Xiao; now, they angrily cast off their armor for this Prince! The commoners, not knowing who had started it, grew increasingly enraged. If not for the regular soldiers blocking the path with hands on their sword hilts, they would have surged forward all at once. And yet that damned Prince stood there coldly, completely unmoved!
Wang Luting, caught within the surging crowd, lips trembling, turned his head and asked, “Sun Yin, what shall we do now?” Sun Yin, eyes narrowed, kept his gaze fixed on that peer without answering.
Dong Zhen had dropped her horsewhip and stood beside her father, covering her mouth as tears streamed down her face. The Governor was forcibly helped to his feet by his wayward son.
Xu Fengnian’s gaze was icy and calm as he spoke: “Dong Hongqiu, current fourth-grade officer of the Yueqi Corps in Lanzhou, twenty-six years ago he joined Xu Xiao’s army. He followed Chu Lushan’s thousand riders into Shu, and was the first to scale the walls of the Chunsan Pass, sustaining four grievous sword wounds that day alone.”
“Huang Zhong, current fourth-grade military registrar of Lanzhou. During the siege of Xiangfan, he served as a vanguard warrior, scaling the walls six times like ants, wounded six times, until finally too gravely injured to fight on. Of the eight hundred elite vanguard warriors, after twelve replacements, only nineteen survived the battle.”
“Hong Yuan, together with his brothers Hong He and Hong Shan, were among the first roaming crossbowmen of Liangzhou. Together they beheaded twenty-one Northern Wei scouts. The brothers fell one after another in battle. Hong Yuan, grievously wounded, can no longer even hold a teacup with his right hand. He was forced to withdraw from the borderlands, and Xu Xiao personally bestowed upon him the honorary title of General Wei Yuan, promising that his eldest son could take up an official post upon reaching manhood.”
As for the other two officers who had become commanders merely through their fathers’ merits or through silver coin, the Prince didn’t even grant them a single glance.
The Prince grasped the Liangzhou saber, turned, and departed.
Leaving behind only one sentence:
“Those standing beside these three—go count the scars on your ancestors’ and fathers’ bodies.”
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